And Cuttyhunk Fishing Club director Bonnie Veder, a lifelong Cuttyhunk resident, said the area also is of historical interest.

"This place is rich in history due to the fact that there were so many presidents that came to the island -- Grover Cleveland, [Theodore] Roosevelt, Taft, the Garfields," she said. "Why they came is for the fishing and camaraderie."

Veder said part of Cuttyhunk's charm is that it is not overrun by tourists.

"What makes Cuttyhunk so special," she said, "is the peace, tranquility the surroundings and noticing what's around you, along with your people who have been around for generations -- families and things that have been here forever."